I’ve given the politicians a break these last few weeks, but I’m now back once again for a chuckle at their expense. These time we’re looking at those moments when they forgot cameras exist.

Hand Gestures
Because sometimes we all just feel like flipping somebody off.

Dubya

Karl Rove

Rahm Emanuel

Pickin’ Fights
You try to behave but then somebody starts trouble…

“Say what?”

and it gets to you. You start to get angry.

“Grrrrr!”

They keep talking. They’re ruining your image with the ladies…

*whisper, whisper…*

and you’re getting even angrier.

“GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!”

They get in your way…

and you’re ready to fight.

“Put ’em up!”

All hell breaks loose.

And then…

you’re butt gets kicked.

Who thought giving her a bat was a good idea anyway?!

Lovin’ the Ladies
These guys have no shame!

And while we’re on this subject, what is the deal with Hillary Clinton and all these men recently? Am I the only one who remembers when the very mention of her name supposedly sent men the world over running for the hills protectively clutching their “gentleman berries”? How times do change.

This is actually a bigger deal than it looks since the Secretaries of State and Defense traditionally can’t stand being in the same room with each other.

To be fair, she does tend to make a face that resembles one that would usually accompany a pinch to the derriere, but this one with Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell just seems a little to suspect to me.

Where’s the Secret Service or is there some sort of diplomatic immunity for patting the US Secretary of State on the behind? Haven’t wars been started over less? I have to be honest, I think this picture is quite funny as illustrated here and here.

😯 Wh, wh, what?! 😯

I don’t get it. Ever since I was small, this woman has been called everything but attractive. She hits her sixties, runs for president, loses, and now this?! I don’t know whether to feel nauseous or optimistic.

This is more like the coverage of her that I’ve become used to.

Well, that does it for shots that are merely bad.
Next, stop the magical land of WTFs. (By the way, that’s Dubya and Vladimir Putin in the little car.)

Enough with the nice stuff. It’s time for a montage of our world leaders not looking their best. There’s a wealth of material out there, but I’ve tried to be fair. I’ve tried to avoid, very successfully I feel, to avoid those dreaded “-isms” (sexism, ageism, there are so many -isms). If you find some “-ism” or other that I’ve missed, let me know. I posted good pictures of these people earlier. Now it’s time for some good-natured mockery. I’ve tried to be an equal-opportunity insulter, but people like the Clintons and Dubya had so many more pictures that it’s hard to not look like you’re bashing on them.

***I’m Smiling Because My Handlers Told Me To***
Every politician, no matter how nice they may seem, has a fake smile that they employ when they have to deal with throngs of people whom they do not know and will most likely never see again. So who has the best one?

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Somewhere along the way, someone told Hillary Clinton that she should smile like a cartoon character.
Apparently, they also told her to smile like a chipmunk. This is bad, but in an almost cute way.

Joe Biden
And remember, he’s just a heartbeat away from running the country. Does anyone else feel slightly less safe?

***Pouting Is Such Sweet Sorrow***
Anyone who’s pouting looks funny. Political figures pouting is just that much more amusing.

Dubya
Door 1 : Dubya 0

Hillary Rodham Clinton
You know when someone says or does something dumb and you look at them and think “Idiot!” That’s the look.

Barack Obama
“What did the Vice President say now?”

Sarah Palin
That’s advanced level pouting. Nicely done!

Barack Obama
Pouty POTUS.

Angela Merkel
“Er hat gesagt was?!” (Translation – “He said what?!”)

And the King of the Political Pout…Bill Clinton
Awwww, poor baby!

***Politics FAIL***
This is what happens when the mask of political poise slips just as you’re thinking “Oh, damn!”

John McCain and Ted Kennedy
John McCain and the late Ted Kennedy listening to Joe Biden.

Dubya
One “Bush-ism” too many in that speech.

Bill Clinton
The international gesture of “Not my fault”.

David Miliband
LOL. Just LOL.

Hillary Rodham Clinton
“Ok, I’m gonna grab Bill’s butt now.”

Barack Obama and Joe Biden
Facepalm in 3… 2… 1…

Gordon Brown and Tony Blair
I don’t know who said what, but it looks like it was bad.

Angela Merkel
This was almost my pick, but my choice for this category is…

Hillary Rodham Clinton
because it’s so bad it’s almost endearing and nearly almost cute which is an accomplishment considering the subject. “Cute” and “endearing” aren’t words usually used to describe her.

Un-curb Your Enthusiasm
Running countries and so on is important work, but it can also be tiring.

Bill Clinton
Somebody tell him that looking like that isn’t helping her.

Gordon Brown
I’m not sure if Prime Minister Brown is bored or if that’s his usual expression.

Bill Clinton
Is she holding his hand to keep him from escaping?

Vladimir Putin
Mentally counting up all the places he’d rather be.

Bill Clinton
He simply can’t sit still and be quiet for long periods of time, can he?

You Can See The Wheels In There Turning
It’s entertaining to watch those with power trying to not look confused when they are… and failing.

David Miliband
Secretary Clinton seems to have no trouble enjoying her maple taffy at a G8 meeting in Quebec Canada, but Foreign Minister Miliband appears to be have been completely flummoxed by the snack food.

There are plenty of words that come to mind when I think of our current Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton – intelligent, successful, tough, wealthy, …headbands, …pantsuit, …Bubba, ect… Anyway, one that I never thought of was “flirt” – until she became Secretary of State. Now she’s cuddlier with her colleagues than she is with her husband. Sorry, Bill!

A look at all the Secretary’s men.

Joe Biden, the current Vice President, is the person within this administration who I most enjoy hearing about on the news. Why? Because when you hear “Vice President Joe Biden” come out of a news anchor’s mouth, there’s a 93% chance that what will follow it will be amusing to one degree or another and with so much unhappy news out there I like it when a story makes me smile. He meets regularly with the Secretary of State and, apparently, they get alone quite well. I read someplace that they’re actually close friends. Whether or not she’s flirting or being flirted with is up for debate, but every time there’s a photo of the two of them, they look like they’re having a good time.

David Miliband is the British foreign minister and much has been made of the “crush” between he and the Secretary of State ever since she gushed over him in the US edition of Vogue. The Secretary of State is obviously very committed to maintaining the “special relationship” between the UK and the US.

The other special relationship, between the US and Israel, has also received some extra attention, though once again I’m not sure if Secretary Clinton wasn’t simply the recipient of the flirtation in this instance. Shimon Peres, Israel’s president, gave her flowers and a few kisses when she visited Israel in March 2009.

She seems to have a good time with many of her male colleagues. I’m not sure if it’s her celebrity status or if the reports we’ve been hearing for years of her being aloof and frigid are all wrong, but they seem to really enjoy her company.

Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister

Javier Solana, Secretary General of the Council of the European Union and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy

Wouldn’t you love to know what was so funny?

Most recently, and most overtly, Secretary Clinton and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi shared a laugh and a near-snuggle after a bilateral meeting at the State Department.

Makes one wonder what was in her glass. Also, when you think about it…

…after a few vodka tonics… he might sort of looks like…

Put the glass down, Madame Secretary! We don’t need a nuclear-armed sex scandal! Finish up your work and go home where – depending on the day of the week, state of the world, and appearance schedules – someone just might be waiting… maybe.

**** I like the last picture because, while is isn’t the best shot of either of them, it seems more genuine than many other shots taken of them. I also think it’s interesting that one of their more “candid” pictures was taken in a huge crowd of people. For those of you who disagree with my original picture choice, and since I was trying to be complimentary, here’s a better picture.****

A politician’s image and appearance has been important ever since the 1960 “Great Debate” between JFK and Richard Nixon. Now we live in a world with a constant stream of news on every possible topic. More and more getting involved in politics means giving over nearly every aspect your life to the prying eyes and scrutinizing words of the public at large. Occasionally, a photo comes into existence, whether from an organized shoot or a well-timed candid, the makes you look so fabulous it almost hurts. Then there are those with make you wish to burn every copy of a newspaper within miles and somehow instigate a cable strike. Finally there are those rare gems that are so blatantly bad for your image that even you have to throw your head back and laugh because they are that funny.

Incidentally, yes this was meant to be one big post – the good, the bad, and the WTF – but there was too much good material out there. Trust me, it’ll be worth it. Also, I’m trying to be nice (for a change) and post at least one good picture of anyone I’m posting bad ones of later.

THE GOOD

Looking Like a Leader
Usually these photos involve flags, a sturdy and well-ornamented desk, official seals, government buildings, or some combination of those items. It works best if you’re really photogenic, but even if you’re not you might get one good one. I don’t really have much to snark at with these photos. Don’t worry. You won’t be without my witty repartee for long.

Barack Obama

Ronald Reagan

Bill Clinton

David Miliband, current UK Foreign Minister

Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State under George W. Bush

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State

Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State under Bill Clinton

Rahm Emanuel

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (He always looks scary!)

George W. Bush – known on this blog as “Dubya”

Looking Like an Affable Everyman/woman
If you don’t necessarily have the camera’s love on your side that doesn’t mean that your political career is over – in fact it’s often said that politics is show business for ugly people – you just have to find your look. To be honest, the “everyman” or “everywoman” isn’t so much a look as it is a required persona. Think about it. Just look back at the 2008 presidential election and point out the “average” candidate. None of them were middle class by any stretch of the imagination. They’re all rather wealthy to one extent or another. Many had been in national politics for decades. None of them are average or “normal” and yet that is how they have to look, so they show off their spouses, children, and pets, get photographed in t-shirts, baseball caps, and jeans, and say and do thing they think the rest of us say and do – with varying degrees of success. Think of Michelle Obama’s (very successful) fist-bump. When in doubt, hold someone’s baby. That usually works and I’ve expounded upon here

Not much to say really. It’s adorable.

Talk about familial! Nancy Pelosi with her husband and her new grandchild. So sweet it could give you a cavity.

The presidents Bush leaving a small church after services with their wives.

This is Italian President Silvio Berlusconi. While he certainly doesn’t look like an “everyman”, he does look very affable.

What is it about a dog that makes the person with it look so much better than they otherwise would.
Joe Biden and his puppy make a much better picture than the Vice President does on his own.

Is Nixon actually smiling?! Maybe it’s just gas.

There’s a line one has to tread carefully with regards to taking pictures with one’s spouse because you want to appear loving, like Tony and Cherie Blair, and generally want to avoid looking too sexy…
unless your last name is Clinton, apparently.
That’s bordering on too hot for the evening news! I know now that it was taken by Harry Benson but I don’t remember when that picture came out, so when I found it, it took me a minute to figure who was in the picture. I still have trouble believing that woman is Hillary Clinton.
I found this picture from 2004 vaguely reminiscent though (thankfully) far less deserving of a “Do not disturb” sign.
And there they go again. What’s stranger yet is that they’re either like this or awkwardly patting each other on the shoulder.

Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni are known for being very affectionate in public, but they are also French, so I think the rules of political PDA are different for them. This shot is very nice.

Yes, this is a bit older than the photos I usually use, but it’s a bit of family history. My dad was one of the sailors there. I’m not sure if he’s in the shot or not – I’ll have to ask him. I just thought it was cool.

It’s All About the Beauty of the Moment
Occasionally, some photographer will come along and, even if you are not in the least bit photogenic, they will work their magic and you will look fabulous. Sometimes it’s a big moment, a state dinner or something, but sometimes it’s just the way the light hits you. When something like this happens there is nothing to do but thank your lucky stars.

Bill Clinton is a man who tends to fairly look good in photos. His wife, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, does not share his luck in that department and never has. She usually looks mediocre at best, but it’s not all bad news though because, when she does take a good photo, it’s a really good one.

I love this so much about this shot – the candles, the lighting, the serene yet intense look she has on her face. It’s really lovely. This one it good, too. She looks so young in this picture. If I hadn’t found it today, I’d have thought in was from her time as First Lady.

This was all about the moment and the words. Ronald McDonald could have been there and it wouldn’t have made a bit of difference as long as the speech was the same.

Think what you want to about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but that picture is great.

What is it with Joe Biden? He can even get Hillary Clinton to loosen up… a little. Can’t we put that skill to use for the good of humankind?

This is current British Foreign Minister David Miliband. I think he’s kind of cute in a nerdy way so, since it’s my blog, I’m posting another picture of him.
I like him better with glasses. Just my opinion.

It’s usually a good thing to stand out in a crowd and a few politicians, usually women, take that quite literally.
Secretary Clinton
Yulia Tymoshenko, former Prime Minister of Ukraine
Sometimes the guys do get in on the act, though.
US President Barack Obama, Italian President Silvio Berlusconi, and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev definitely stand out.

These are just good shots.

She looks tough, but tough is good sometimes. I’ve got a list of world leaders to whom this picture should be emailed to.

It looks like Chancellor Merkel “gets” the modern art in this exhibit in honor of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. It’s always good to look like you “get” it.

Remember how I said that there was a saying about politics being show business for ugly people. Well, it’s not just for ugly people. This is former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko
and this is former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin.

It blows my mind that Nancy Pelosi is pushing 70 and her husband’s around that age too. Even with some surgical assistance, it’s hard to believe.

One shot where he looks more like a leader and less like a character on That Mitchell and Webb Look

Black & White
Sometimes a black and white photo can make you look better than any color one can.

Yes, black and white can make you look great…

… but it can’t work miracles. Yeah, I’ve had enough of being nice, it’s time to laugh at these people.

I was trying to put together a serious post about Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. I might write one at some point, but today was not that day. Why? Because, in my search for photos for a post about Secretary Clinton I found this… (It’s also discussed HERE in case you’re interested.)

Diplomatic FAIL!

…and thought it was too funny to pass up. Apparently, this guy fully intended to get to the bottom of things! How does one say “Get your hand off my ass!” diplomatically?

Cheap jokes, I know! Sorry.

Now, I realize that these types of photos are usually not as they appear – camera angle, lighting, ect… – but this one is certainly one of the more convincing ones not to mention it’s nearly impossible to imagine anyone having the nerve to stand next to Secretary of State Clinton and cop a feel. On the off-chance this did happen, I’m sure it was accidental, but it’s still amusing. Also, I don’t find this the slightest bit sexist. I think it would be just as funny if the butt-pat recipient were a guy. If it were Bill Clinton, news anchors the world over would be laughing about it for months.

In case you’re wondering, the fellow in the picture’s name is Brian Cowen and he is the Prime Minister of Ireland. Here is what he looks like from the front.

Is it just me or does he look a bit like Peter Griffin?

Still, if there is an upside to this for Secretary Clinton, it’s that the US press could not have cared less about her in October, when this occurred, and she was therefore spared the chore of being the butt (no pun intended) of the late shows’ jokes. Sorry, David Letterman. Sorry, Jay Leno. Better luck next time! I’m sure former president Bill Clinton had a good laugh at it, though, if he saw the photo. He doesn’t strike me as much of the jealous type.